Start Small

just like everything else.

It’s been almost 6 months since I started this newsletter and ten years since I started writing consistently. I remember my dad calling me over to his desk a few years ago. He showed me the devotional sent to his email that he subscribed to monthly for a small fee.

“You could do this,” he exclaimed.

I remember my professor giving me back my senior thesis that I spent 100s of hours nitpicking into perfection. 100% was written at the top.

“You’re a better writer than I was at your age,” he encouraged me.

I remember sitting at my kitchen table, publishing a newsletter to my friends and family, my best friend affirming me, “Lisa, you need to share this with people.”

I often ponder those words of Erick Liddell, Olympic gold medalist. Many of you know the famous line from the movie Chariots of Fire, “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure.”

I knew from a young age that writers didn’t make a lot of money. But in the last quarter century of my life, I’ve learned there are lots of things needed in this world that don’t pay a salary. And that certainly is not a good enough reason not to do them.

Every week I post my raw thoughts, stories, and experiences in this long-form publication, and 100 of you read it each week.

Some may say that’s not worth it.

But God made me full of ideas. And when I write, I feel his pleasure.

That is enough for me.

There’s a story in the book of Zechariah where Zerubbabel, the leader of Jerusalem was tasked with the the work of rebuilding the temple. The work had stalled for 20 years and he was in need of some major encouragement to continue on. (Relatable anyone?)

This is what God tells him, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” (4:10).

Have you ever heard someone say, “The hardest part is just to start?”

Beginnings are hard. But I’d argue that to keep going when something feels stalled is even harder.

If there was immediate reward in the beginning I think many of us would start things a lot more. It’s the dream of going viral: To gain a following without the build time.

But it seems that anything of value comes from a million small decisions built over time.

Sure, there are times that things go viral with random hits and it does produce traction, but many would argue that the most valuable following is one that is built over time. According to statistics, very few users go viral with one or two posts.

I don’t remember where I read it, but I wish I did. This quote stuck with me, “A few years from now you won’t care how long it took, you’ll just be so glad you did it.”

God rejoices to see the work begin.

He sees the beginning with the end in mind. In His eyes, there are only two things he can’t work with: Someone who doesn’t start and someone who won’t keep going.

So I have decided not to despise small beginnings.

In fact, the whole reason I started writing was to explore life through the lens that our faith is built through a million small decisions and small acts. Faith is built in us every day.

The crazy miracles, fruitful living, and fullness of joy are built in us brick by brick through the grace of God; the glue holding them together.

Hebrews 6:11-12 is one of my favorite passages, “Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.”

The life we desire and the life of faith we are currently living is separated by hundreds of little steps of obedience. It’s not just faith, it’s faith AND perseverance.

Our question to God is simply, “What is my step today?”

The good news is we have a guide who not only tells us the next step, but also helps us, encourages us, and empowers us to take it.

Before God encourages Zerubbabel he tells him something important about how the temple will be built, “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord.” (4:6).

God is not looking for us to work ourselves to the bone, but work with His Spirit.

The word Spirit is the Hebrew word ruaḥ meaning, “wind, breath, mind, spirit.”

I think that’s a beautiful picture of how God empowers our lives. He is the breath in our lungs. Without breath, we’re not alive.

God breathes life into our bones, but it’s our job to move our feet.

So what’s the thing you feel God whispering for you to do? That thing you might have been putting off because you feel unqualified or you feel scared of?

I’m living in the joys of small beginnings and I can say it’s so worth it, even if small.

To the 100 of you who have supported me every step of my small beginning:

Thank you.

My number one ambition to start this Substack was to grow in my writing and my consistency in sharing it with others. I value your feedback and it helps me grow. I’ve created a short survey to learn about what YOU think! Would you share your thoughts?

P.S. Shoutout to my paid subscribers. That was the boost I needed to finally put my feet into action and begin to write consistently.

For the One,